BIBLE STUDY WEEK # 8 (6/24/14)

The Ministry of Jesus Study

Created by Evangelist Claudia Jordan

Date:  6/24/14

Week Study # 8

 

 

Subject:                       God's Love

Scripture:                    John 3:16

Weekly Focus:            The Life of Jesus        

Memory Verse:          Jeremiah 31:3

Bible Reading:             Deuteronomy 7:8; Romans 5:18; Ephesians 2:4, 5; 1 John 3:1; Jude 1:21

 

 

Conclusion

 

I would like to share John 3:16 again.

 

God so love the world that He gave His Only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not Perish, but have Everlasting Life, which means GOSPEL

 

God so love the world that He gave His

Only begotten

Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not

Perish, but have

Everlasting

Life

 

Jesus' ministry was the Gospel, God's love, and the Father's promise in John 3:16.  I have a question.  What did Jesus come to do?  This is what I gathered…………………..

1.    To reveal the Father (Matthew 11:27)

A.    "All things have been committed to me by my Father.  No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

2.    To be a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28)

A.    "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

3.    To serve (Matthew 20:28)

A.    "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

4.    To save the world (John 3:17; Luke 19:10)

A.    "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

5.    To preach the good news of the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43)

A.    "But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

6.    To bring division (Luke 12:510

A.    "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."

7.    To do the will of the Father (John 6:38)

A.    "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me."

8.    To give the Father's words (John 17:8)

A.    "For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them.  They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me."

9.    To testify to the truth (John 18:37)

A.    "You are a king, then!" said Pilate.   Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king.  In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

10. To die and destroy Satan's power (Hebrews 2:14)

A.    "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil."

11. To destroy the devil's works (1 John 3:8)

A.    "He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."

12. To fulfill the Law and then Prophets (Matthew 5:17)

A.    "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

13. To give life (John 10:10,18)

A.    "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full . . . I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."

14. To taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9)

A.    "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."

15. To become a high priest (Hebrews 2:17)

A.    "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

16.  To atone for sin. (Hebrews 2:17)

A.    "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

17. To proclaim freedom for believers (Luke 4:18)

A.    "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed."

18. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (Luke 4:19)

A.    "To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

19. To bring judgment (John 9:39)

A.    "Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

20.  To take away sin (1 John 3:5)

A.    "But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin."

21.  To preach (Mark 1:38)

A.    "Jesus replied, 'Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.'"

22.  To call sinners (Mark 2:17)

A.    "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'"

23.  To know who is true (1 John 5:20)

A.    "We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true.  And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ.  He is the true God and eternal life." 

 

Jesus' ministry reflects the compassion and love he claims God has for humanity. So he heals people of disease and exorcises demons. The Bible emphasizes the power that proceeds from him. Whether they are apostles, disciples or part of the crowd, all sorts of people receive Jesus' ministry. Jesus' teaching and ministry extends beyond insiders. He attempts to reach those outside his new community.

In God's plan of salvation, Jesus Christ had been crucified for the sins of mankind, died, and rose from the dead. Following his resurrection, he appeared many times to his disciples.
Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus called his 11 apostles together on the Mount of Olives, outside Jerusalem. Still not completely understanding that Christ's messianic mission had been spiritual and not political, the disciples asked Jesus if he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. They were frustrated with Roman oppression and may have envisioned an overthrow of Rome. Jesus answered them:
"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8, NIV)
Then Jesus was taken up, and a cloud hid him from their sight. As the disciples were watching him ascend, two angels dressed in white robes stood beside them and asked why they were looking into the sky. The angels said:
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11, NIV)
At that, the disciples walked back to Jerusalem to the upstairs room where they had been staying and held a prayer meeting.

 

Points of Interest from the Ascension of Jesus:

• In the Bible, a cloud is often the expression of God's power and glory, as in the book of Exodus, when a pillar of cloud guided the Jews in the desert.
• Earlier, Jesus had told the disciples that after he ascended, the Holy Spirit would come down upon them with power. At Pentecost, they received the Holy Spirit like tongues of fire. Today, every born-again believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who gives wisdom and power to live the Christian life.
• The command of Jesus to his followers was to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. The gospel first spread to the Jews, then to the Jewish/mixed race Samaritans, then to the Gentiles. Christians have a responsibility to spread the good news about Jesus to all who have not heard.
• Jesus' mission on earth had been accomplished. He returned to heaven, where he had come from. He took on a human body and will forever remain both God and man in his glorified state.
• The angels warned that someday Jesus will return in his glorified body, the same way he left. But instead of idly watching for the Second Coming, we should be busy with the work Christ assigned us.
• The ascension of Jesus is one of the accepted doctrines of Christianity. The Apostle' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed all confess that Christ ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father.
Is the resurrection of Jesus Christ an historical event that really happened, or is it only a myth, as many atheists claim? While no one witnessed the actual resurrection, many people swore they saw the risen Christ after his death, and their lives were never the same.
Archaeological discoveries continue to support the Bible's historical accuracy. We tend to forget that the Gospels and book of Acts are eyewitness accounts of the life and death of Jesus. Further nonbiblical evidence for Jesus' existence comes from the writings of Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, and the Jewish Sanhedrin. The following seven proofs of the resurrection show that Christ did, indeed, rise from the dead.

 

The Resurrection Proof #1: The Empty Tomb of Jesus

The empty tomb may be the strongest proof Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Two major theories have been advanced by unbelievers: someone stole Jesus' body or the women and disciples went to the wrong tomb. The Jews and Romans had no motive to steal the body. Christ's apostles were too cowardly and would have had to overcome the Roman guards. The women who found the tomb empty had earlier watched Jesus being laid away; they knew where the correct tomb was. Even if they had gone to the wrong tomb, the Sanhedrin could have produced the body from the right tomb to stop the resurrection stories. Jesus' burial cloths were left neatly folded inside, hardly the act of hurrying grave robbers. Angels said Jesus had risen from the dead.

 

The Resurrection Proof #2: The Holy Women Eyewitnesses

The holy women eyewitnesses are further proof that the Gospels are accurate historical records. If the accounts had been made up, no ancient author would have used women for witnesses to Christ's resurrection. Women were second class citizens in Bible times; their testimony was not even allowed in court. Yet the Bible says the risen Christ first appeared to Mary Magdalene and other holy women. Even the apostles did not believe Mary when she told them the tomb was empty. Jesus, who always had special respect for these women, honored them as the first eyewitnesses to his resurrection. The male Gospel writers had no choice but to report this embarrassing act of God's favor, because that was how it happened.

 

The Resurrection Proof #3: Jesus' Apostles' New-Found Courage

After the crucifixion, Jesus' apostles hid behind locked doors, terrified they would be executed next. But something changed them from cowards to bold preachers. Anyone who understands human character knows people do not change that much without some major influence. That influence was seeing their Master, bodily risen from the dead. Christ appeared to them in a lock room, shore of the Sea of Galilee, and on The Mount of Olives. After seeing Jesus alive, Peter and the others left the locked room and preached the risen Christ, unafraid of what would happen to them. They quit hiding because they knew the truth. They finally understood that Jesus is God incarnate, who saves people from sin.

 

The Resurrection Proof #4: Changed Lives of James and Others

Changed lives are yet another proof of the resurrection. James, the brother of Jesus, was openly skeptical that Jesus was the Messiah. Later James became a courageous leader of the Jerusalem church, even being stoned to death for his faith. Why? The Bible says the risen Christ appeared to him. What a shock to see your own brother, alive again, after you knew he was dead. James and the apostles were effective missionaries because people could tell these men had touched and seen the risen Christ. With such zealous eyewitnesses, the early church exploded in growth, spreading west from Jerusalem to Rome and beyond. For 2,000 years, encounters with the resurrected Jesus have Changed lives.

 

The Resurrection Proof #5: Large Crowd of Eyewitnesses

A large crowd of more than 500 eyewitnesses saw the risen Jesus Christ at the same time. The Apostle Paul records this event in 1Corinthians 15:6. He states that most of these men and women were still alive when he wrote this letter, about 55 A.D. Undoubtedly they told others about this miracle. Today, psychologists say it would be impossible for a large crowd of people to have had the same hallucination at once. Smaller groups also saw the risen Christ, such as the apostles, and Cleopas and his companion. They all saw the same thing, and in the case of the apostles, they touched Jesus and watched him eat food. The hallucination theory is further debunked because after the ascension of Jesus into heaven, sightings of him stopped.

 

The Resurrection Proof #6: Conversion of Paul

The conversion of Paul records the most drastically changed life in the Bible. As Saul of Tarsus, he was an aggressive persecutor of the early church. When the risen Christ appeared to Paul on the Damascus Road, Paul became Christianity's most determined missionary. He endured five floggings, three beatings, three shipwrecks, a stoning, poverty, and years of ridicule. Finally the Roman emperor Nero had Paul beheaded because the apostle refused to deny his faith in Jesus. What could make a person willingly accept—even welcome—such hardships? Christians believe the conversion of Paul came about because he encountered Jesus Christ who had risen from the dead.

 

The Resurrection Proof #7: They Died for Jesus

Countless people have died for Jesus, absolutely certain that the resurrection of Christ is an Historical fact. Tradition says ten of the original apostles died as martyrs for Christ, as did the Apostle Paul. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of early Christian died in the Roman arena and in prisons for their faith. Down through the centuries, thousands more have died for Jesus because they believed the resurrection is true. Even today, people suffer persecution because they have faith that Christ rose from the dead. An isolated group may give up their lives for a cult leader, but Christian martyrs have died in many lands, for nearly 2,000 years, believing Jesus conquered death to give them eternal life.
 

Question:

1.  What was Jesus' purpose in coming? 

 

Reflection Questions:

 

1.  It is an awesome truth to realize that God himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives inside me as a believer.  Am I taking full advantage of this gift to learn more about Jesus and to live a God-pleasing life?

 

 

Prayer:

Father God, Your love has set me free, Your grace and mercy has brought me through, and I am living this moment only because of You. Thank You for giving us a chance to study and learn of Your Word. Thank You for this community and all who come to join us. The ministry of Jesus has been a blessing to all who has a spiritual ear to hear what the Holy Spirit is teaching these days. Thank You, Lord.  Father God, Your Word says, if we keep our minds stayed on You, You would keep us in perfect peace.  The study of Your Word keeps our minds on You and Your plan for our lives. We love You, and adore You. We desire to have a blessed ministry as Jesus, praying always as He did, teaching Your Word to all who will hear, sharing the healing power of Jesus, walking in the miracles You perform each day in our lives, and understanding all the parables You have left for our learning. Your life is a great reward to all who accept You, and we do accept all that You did in the last three and a half years of Your life. It is a miracle! Your ministry is a miracle to us. We walk by faith, and not by sight.  Jesus, bless us to walk in the ministry You walked in, so others can know you by the ministry we share with them. In Jesus' Mighty Name, amen.

 

BIBLE STUDY WEEK # 7 (REFLECTION ANSWERS)

 

1.  Do you feel you are fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus?  

 

Yes, because my job allow me to spread the gospel wherever I go. My job takes me to different places and families.  Wherever I am, I share, and if I have the opportunity I am ordained to baptize, teach, and preach God's Word.  I love it when people look at my life and see God in me and that open the door for me to give God the glory, and to share Jesus with them.  Just going to church is not enough!

 

2.  How do you feel when you read about or see the crucifixion of Jesus?

 

I know we should not be sorry because it was God's will, but my heart always hurt; and I also experience the joy of the Lord, and it gives me strength to know He did it for me too.

 

3.  If someone asked you about the statement "He Is Risen," how would you respond?

 

Glory to God!  I would praise God not just for them to hear me, but for God Himself to be blessed with my praises. Those words bring joy to a Christian's heart. As Mary said, "My soul do magnify the Lord, and He is worthy to be praise. I would share my testimony with them, and the story of Jesus. If they would let me I would pray with them to receive revelation of the story of Jesus' resurrection in their spirit, so they would accept Him, if that is needed. 

BIBLE STUDY WEEK # 7 (ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS)

 

1.  Where were the Last Supper held? In Jerusalem

According to later tradition, the Last Supper took place in what is called today The Room of the Last Supper on Mount Zion, just outside of the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, and is traditionally known as The Upper Room.

 

2.  Which one of the disciples Jesus took with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane?

Jesus took Peter, James and John and moved further up the hill, away from the larger group of disciples.

 

3.  Who cut off the ear of one of the centurion in the Garden of Gethsemane?

Apostle Peter

 

4.  Who condemn Jesus to death?

The Jewish leaders then take Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the governor of Roman Judaea, and ask for the death sentence for claiming to be the King of the Jews.  Pilate washes his hands to show that he was not responsible for the execution of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death.

 

5. Name the Seven Last Saying of Jesus.

1). Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do 

2). Today you will be with me in paradise

3). Behold your son: behold your mother

4). My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

5). I thirst

6). It is finished

7). Father, into your hands I commit my spirit

 

6. Who was standing with the disciples when Jesus ascended to Heaven?

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

 

7. What was Jesus' commission to His disciples and to us?

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

BIBLE STUDY WEEK # 7 (EXTRA)

Extra:

John's Gospel was written later than the Synoptics and apart from them.  It is the most

theologically sophisticated of all the Gospels. With the passage of time, there was increased reflection on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This theological reflection often uses poetic imagery. Far from Mark's very human Jesus, John's Jesus is the Eternal Word, Bread of Life, the

Way, the Truth and the Life, and the Light of the World . John emphasizes Jesus' divinity more strongly than any of the other gospel writers. The emphasis is not so much on Jesus' suffering as his freely choosing to suffer and to die for us. Jesus is self–confident in the face of death. In

John, on the night before he dies, Jesus gives long theological discourses on the meaning of his time with them and what is to happen. The unique character of the Gospel, many believe, is based on the experience and insight of the Beloved Disciple of Jesus. John the evangelist's audience was a diverse group, primarily Jewish-Christian from the Diaspora, mixed with Samaritan converts, some followers of John the Baptist, and some Gentile-Christians. This community, persecuted by its Roman overlords, as well as feeling isolated from, and even in conflict with Jewish and other Christian communities, created a gospel of sublime theological and poetic expression. However, the community also felt compelled to identify all who refused to follow Jesus as the children of darkness. Perhaps due to the preponderance of Jewish Christians in the community, the unfortunate generalization "the Jews" was often used to describe those who rejected Jesus. At other times, "the Jews" is used in a historical and objective manner, referring to the Jewish religious leaders, or people of the Jewish faith.

 

UPDATE ON STUDY (6/23/14)

 

I am almost finished with this study. I have loved it too.  I know a little more about my Lord's earthly ministry now. He was a teacher, preacher, healer, Giver, and  Provider for His people.  He had a awesome ministry!!!

 

BIBLE STUDY WEEK # 7 (PRAYER)

Almighty God, You are awesome! Thank You for all that we have learned about our Savior,  our Lord, our King, our Peace, and the Love of our life.  We have been so richly blessed, and hope that those who have read or studied this lesson have been blessed too. Your are so awesome! Father, we come to You asking that You bless our families, friends, and those who work with us. As a prayer warriors' community, we ask that You help us to continue to pray with a sincere heart, the mind of Christ, and the readiness to always to pray when we have the chance.  Bless our going, and our coming to always be in Your plans for our life.  Grant us with the serenity to accept the things we can not change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the different, in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

 

BIBLE STUDY WEEK # 7 (6/17/14)

The Ministry of Jesus Study
Created by Evangelist Claudia Jordan
Date:  6/17/14
Week Study # 7
 

Title:                           Last Week of Jesus' Life 
Scripture:                  Matthew 28:5-6

Weekly Focus:          Matthew 28:6 "He Has Risen!" 

Memory Verse:        Matthew 28:19

Bible Reading:         Scriptures according to events 

 

Getting Started

  
 Let's explore the Holy Week:

 
Holy Week - Day 1: Palm Sunday's Triumphal Entry

  
Entry to the city of Jerusalem:

Beginning with Palm Sunday, we'll walk the steps of Jesus Christ this Holy Week, visiting each of the major events that occurred during our Savior's week of passion.

On the Sunday before his death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for the sins of the world. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples ahead to look for a donkey with its unbroken colt. Jesus instructed the disciples to untie the animals and bring them to him.

Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem. In all likelihood, Jesus stayed in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Jesus' Triumphal Entry is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.

 
Holy Week - Day 2: Monday Jesus Clears the Temple

 Monday morning he returned with his disciples to Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that genuine, living faith is more than just outward religiosity. True faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.

When Jesus arrived at the Temple he found the courts full of corrupt Money changers.  He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." (Luke 19:46)

On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

Monday's events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17.

Holy Week - Day 3: Tuesday in Jerusalem, Mount of Olive:

Jesus journey through Holy Week takes us back to the Temple in Jerusalem and then to the Mount of Olives.

On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus taught them about faith.

At the Temple, the religious leaders aggressively challenged Jesus' authority, attempting to ambush him and create an opportunity for his arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them: "Blind guides! ... For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" (Matthew 23:24-33)

Tuesday afternoon Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which overlooks Jerusalem due east of the Temple. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He taught in parables using symbolic language about end times events, including his Second Coming and the final judgment.

Scripture indicates that Tuesday was the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).

After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, once again, Jesus and the disciples stayed the night in Bethany.

The tumultuous events of Tuesday and the Olivet Discourse are recorded in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

Holy Week - Day 4: Silent Wednesday

The Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of the Passover.

Bethany was about two miles east of Jerusalem. Here Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted him and the disciples during these final days in Jerusalem.

Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave. After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God and put their faith in him. Also in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume.

While we can only speculate, it's fascinating to consider how our Lord Jesus spent this final quiet day with his dearest friends and followers.

 

Holy Week - Day 5: Thursday's Passover, Last Supper

Our tour through Holy Week takes a somber turn on Thursday.

From Bethany Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how they were to love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their Maundy Thursday services.

Then Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples saying, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16,  NLT)

As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of the Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. During this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or Communion, instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine:

"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.' "(Luke 22:19-20, ESV)

Later Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father. Luke's Gospel says "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:44, ESV)

Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin.  He was taken to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.

Thursday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.

Holy Week - Day 6: Good Friday's Trial, Crucifixion, Death, Burial

Today we'll trace Jesus' steps on Good Friday, the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death.

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a Crown of thorns. Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.

Jesus spoke seven final statement from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34, NIV). His last were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46,NIV)

Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last and died.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.

Friday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.

 Holy Week - Day 7: Saturday in the Tomb

Jesus' body lay in the tomb where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath.  When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus:

"He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth." (John 19: 39-40 NLT)

Nicodemus, like Joseph Arimathea, was a member of the Sanheddrin, the court which had condemned Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community.

Similarly, both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They boldly came out of hiding, risking their reputations and their lives because they now realized Jesus was, indeed, the long-awaited Messiah. Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial.

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation:

"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (1 Peter 1:18-19,NLT)

Saturday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.

Holy Week - Day 8: Resurrection Sunday!

On Resurrection Sunday we reach the culmination of Passion Week. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event, the crux, you might say, of the Christian faith. The very foundation of all Christian doctrine hinges on the truth of this account.

Early Sunday morning several women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and Salome are all mentioned in the Gospel accounts) went to the tomb and discovered that the large stone covering the tomb's entrance had been rolled away. An angel announced, "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen." (Matthew 28:5-6, NLT)

On the day of his resurrection, Jesus Christ made at least five appearances. Mark's Gospel says the first person to see him was Mary Magdalene. Jesus also appeared to Peter, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and later that day to all of the disciples except Thomas, while they were gathered in a house for prayer.

The eyewitness accounts in the Gospels provide undeniable evidence that the resurrection of Jesus Christ happened. 2,000 years after his death, followers of Christ still flock to see the empty tomb, one of the strongest proofs that Jesus Christ actually did rise from the dead.

Sunday's events are recorded in Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-23.

Extra: 
 

John's Gospel was written later than the Synoptics and apart from them.  It is the most

theologically sophisticated of all the Gospels. With the passage of time, there was increased reflection on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This theological reflection often uses poetic imagery. Far from Mark's very human Jesus, John's Jesus is the Eternal Word, Bread of Life, the

Way, the Truth and the Life, and the Light of the World . John emphasizes Jesus' divinity more strongly than any of the other gospel writers. The emphasis is not so much on Jesus' suffering as his freely choosing to suffer and to die for us. Jesus is self–confident in the face of death. In

John, on the night before he dies, Jesus gives long theological discourses on the meaning of his time with them and what is to happen. The unique character of the Gospel, many believe, is based on the experience and insight of the Beloved Disciple of Jesus. John the evangelist's audience was a diverse group, primarily Jewish-Christian from the Diaspora, mixed with Samaritan converts, some followers of John the Baptist, and some Gentile-Christians. This community, persecuted by its Roman overlords, as well as feeling isolated from, and even in conflict with Jewish and other Christian communities, created a gospel of sublime theological and poetic expression. However, the community also felt compelled to identify all who refused to follow Jesus as the children of darkness. Perhaps due to the preponderance of Jewish Christians in the community, the unfortunate generalization "the Jews" was often used to describe those who rejected Jesus. At other times, "the Jews" is used in a historical and objective manner, referring to the Jewish religious leaders, or people of the Jewish faith.

 Questions……………….

 

1.  Where were the Last Supper held?

2.  Which one of the disciples Jesus took with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane?

3.  Who cut off the ear of one of the centurion in the Garden of Gethsemane?

4.   Who condemn Jesus to death?

5.  Name the Seven Last Saying of Jesus.

6.  Who was standing with the disciples when Jesus ascended  to Heaven?

7.   What was Jesus' commission to His disciples and to us?

  

Reflection Questions:

1.  Do you feel you are fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus?

2.  How do you feel when you read about or see the crucifixion of Jesus?

3.  If someone ask you about the statement "He Is Risen," how would you respond?

Prayer

 
Almighty God, You are awesome! Thank You for all that we have learned about our Savior,  our Lord, our King, our Peace, and the Love of our life.  We have been so richly blessed, and hope that those who have read or studied this lesson have been blessed too. Your are so awesome! Father, we come to You asking that You bless our families, friends, and those who work with us. As a prayer warriors' community, we ask that You help us to continue to pray with a sincere heart, the mind of Christ, and the readiness to always to pray when we have the chance.  Bless our going, and our coming to always be in Your plans for our life.  Grant us with the serenity to accept the things we can not change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the different, in Jesus' name we pray, amen.